In the past few months, I have been converted to a CFExpress Type A user following some great experiences with the Exascend CFExpress cards, and this week I wanted to try out another affordable card from Pergear to see how it compares. Join me in this article as I put this card to the test.
When I first started shooting with my Sony a7 IV after its launch, CFExpress cards were far too expensive, and I did not imagine myself getting one for a very long time. Fortunately, things have changed over the past few months, and more affordable options are now available to us.
As more competition enters this market, this can only be a good thing for photographers or videographers of all budgets. In this review, I am checking out the 260 GB CFExpress Type A card from Pergear.
Presentation
The first thing that caught my attention when receiving this card in the mail was the packaging of the product. The CFExpress Type A card comes packaged in a small wooden box covered in the branding and information for the card inside. The presentation is nice and is not something I have come across before, especially for a budget-friendly option. Currently, the 260 GB version is available on Amazon for $199.
Inside the box is a nice foam cushion with the CFExpress card presented in a small plastic hard case.
The card reader also comes packaged in a wooden box of the same size, so Pergear is very consistent with their branding approach.
You can purchase the CFExpress Card A and Reader together for $219.
The Stats
I have the 260 GB card; however, there are four capacities available, which are 80 GB, 260 GB, 520 GB, and 1 TB. This is a nice range for all types of shooters, whether you are focused on photography, videography, or both. With prices on Amazon starting from around $119 for the 80 GB version, this is certainly a nice wallet-friendly option.
The 260 GB card has a minimum sustained write speed of 400 MB/s and max write speed of 900 MB/s. The maximum read speed is 880 MB/s. The write speed does vary depending on the size card you have, for example, the 80 GB card has a max write speed of 600 MB/s and the 1 TB card has a max write speed of 700 MB/s.
The CFExpress Type A cards are mostly compatible with the newer Sony line of camera bodies such as the Sony a7 IV, which I use, the Sony a1, Sony a7S III, and Sony a7R V. They are also compatible with the Sony FX range for filmmakers such as the FX3 and FX6.
Performance
As mentioned in the stats, I should be expecting a minimum sustained write speed of 400 MB/s, and using the Blackmagic disk speed test on my M1 Mac using two different card readers (Pergear's own brand and Exascend), I was indeed reaching those speeds every test.
I ran each test using both card readers several times, and for the write speed, I was averaging between 400-500 MB/s.
The read speed is where I often found differing results. Using the Pergear card reader, I often reached the 700 MB/s speed; however, using the Exascend card reader, the speeds were slightly lower, averaging between 500-600 MB/s.
Either way, I am not concerned by the performance of the Pergear CFExpress card on paper. The speeds are close enough to as advertised, and of course, different testing environments will produce variable results. For my use, the performance of the card as shown by these tests is perfectly fine and as I would expect.
In The Field
I find that this time of year is quite quiet for some of my usual photography, but there are absolutely still some gems to be found! I was recently made aware of a pair of Barn Owls near where I live, so one evening I decided to go out for a scouting trip, and sure enough, the owls were out hunting.
I got out of my car and found a place to sit amongst the hedgerows and watched as two owls were flying around, constantly swooping down in the hope of catching some prey. As soon as they caught something, they would fly off into the woods, and then there would be a wait of 30 odd minutes before they would come back out for more.
Watching these ghosts of the sky is such a mesmerizing experience, even when one flies over your head, you will not hear a sound. Barn Owls are the ultimate silent predator!
I grabbed my camera gear, alongside the Pergear CFExpress Type A card, and dialed in my settings. Using the bird tracking on my Sony a7 IV, and shooting at around 1/1,600 shutter speed, I was happy with some of the images I was capturing, and at no time did I feel any slowdown from using the card.
Holding down the shutter, I was firing off as many shots as I could each time there was some action, or if the owl was approaching me, and everything was working flawlessly.
Returning home after a nice scouting trip, I had no issues importing the images to my M1 MacBook Air; the speed was fantastic and performed as expected.
Summary
From the short time I have had with this CFExpress Type A cardfrom Pergear, it has performed really well in tests, and also out in the field. When using a CFExpress card, there is no buffer when shooting, so you are free to capture as much action as you please, which is not possible with a standard SD card.
For a budget-friendly option, I would say this card performs admirably and is worth a purchase if you are getting into heavier shooting. The speed is what impresses me the most with these cards and has made shooting and importing the images afterward a more pleasurable experience.
Would I recommend this card? Absolutely, for the price point and the performance, it is worth a shot, especially if you are new to photography and if your camera takes this card.
